


A Dance for Shame and Forgiveness

by Apple_Fairy



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Costume Parties & Masquerades, Hetalia Halloween, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 12:52:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16854310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apple_Fairy/pseuds/Apple_Fairy
Summary: Arthur, a powerful and well-respected vampire, is in mourning. He feels guilty for something he's done, and in an effort to distract himself he accepts an invitation to an illustrious party. However, he will find he won't be able to escape his past, but he's starting to think that maybe that's okay. That if he got to meet Kiku, then maybe that's fine.





	A Dance for Shame and Forgiveness

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a prompt I received on Tumblr for a masquerade AU. It's based off their Hetaween costumes, so Arthur is a vampire and Kiku is a fox! It was my first time writing a genre like this so I hope it comes across well.

Arthur sensed a fox in the room.

It was subtle, but there. Any amateur wouldn’t have noticed, but Arthur was a well-established and powerful vampire. He had to give whoever it was some credit for their concealment powers, but they were still noted nonetheless.

Arthur looks around the party, around to his fellow vampires, all hidden behind masks and unaware. What would a fox be doing here? What business would it have amongst vampires? Arthur takes a cautious sip of his wine, bitter to the taste, and tries to discern who it could be. Everyone was familiar there, but strangers now. He had to give them kudos as well for when they infiltrated their kind. It was intriguing.

Arthur is shocked when he feels someone slap him on the back, and almost spilling his wine he looks behind him to see his ward, Alfred.

“There you are! God, it was a pain trying to find you here.” Alfred smiles, his mask a blue with shimmery stars. Arthur hated having to look up at him now; it was different when he had just taken him in when he was a child.

“Do you have to talk like that?” Arthur frowns, “Stand up straight and present yourself like a gentleman.”

Alfred’s face drops into a tired frown. “Man, do you always have to nag? I thought you’d be in a better mood.”

“What do you mean?”

“What, you didn’t think I wouldn’t have heard?” Alfred looks away, “Francis.”

Arthur’s back stiffens. He’d been hearing the name all night, but he still managed to shiver at the name. All it brought to mind was the image of a white jacket under his own boot…

“I was going to tell you.”

“Look,” Alfred puts his hands up as if in surrender, “I’m not mad. I’m not. I just…didn’t know you had it in you.”

It sounded like a lie, because it was one. Alfred was a poor liar, a child who fidgeted and stuttered when he lied. Arthur can sense this, and he knew this moment would come. The flighty strings of a violin play in the background, and he still feels the presence of that fox. It’s at the edge of his mind. Where is it?

“You know how this world works.” Arthur continued, “He gave me no choice.”

“I guess you get his title and stuff, that’s a bonus right?”

Arthur knows why Alfred was angry. Matthew had been just as hurt. When he took those boys in he should’ve never let Francis into their lives. But then again, he considers just how different they would’ve turned out if that had been the case. Francis was better at this than him. Francis would’ve known what to say or do. But Francis was…Francis was…

Francis was dead, Arthur reminded himself.  Yes, by his very own hand.

“He was a powerful vampire,” Arthur explained, “He gave me no choice.”

“Look, I’m not here to talk about that.” Alfred sighed, lifting his mask. His blue eyes were sincere and his face looked startlingly young. “Are you ok? You look shaken.”

Arthur began to recall. A fireplace. A vase full of roses. Francis, smiling at him across the room. Taking his hand and…

And his stomach begins to hurt. It hurts to remember. He shakes his head, and tries to figure out how to explain this to Alfred. He was so young, he was so involved. God, it really had been all a blur and-

“Sir,” a voice behind him says, “it’s against the rules to take off your mask.”

The fox.

Arthur turns around, and behind him is a black haired man wearing a purple mask, cornered with pieces of jade. His eyes were dark, Arthur almost found them comforting.

“O-Oh, sorry!” Alfred says, and pulls his mask down, “I forgot.”

But the stranger wasn’t regarding Alfred. He was staring straight on at Arthur, and Arthur felt the room disappear, all dancing and talking figures gone. He was there, right there. The energy he had been sensing, the anomaly amongst his brethren.

This was the fox.

Arthur couldn’t tell if he knew the stranger was aware he was caught. He still couldn’t tell the motive of this person. But there was something powerful about him, he could tell that. Something dangerously compelling.

“Arthur Kirkland, yes?” The stranger asked, offering his hand, “May I have this dance?”

“W-With me?”

“Is that a no?”

His voice was deep and lovely, but Arthur knew to tread cautiously. He looks back to Alfred, and offers an apologetic nod.

“We’ll talk later.”

“Arthur-”

 _“Later_.”

Alfred frowns, dissatisfied, but mutters a fine and watches them go. While Arthur would say the presence of a fox was a more pressing matter, in reality he wanted to avoid the topic. He didn’t want to talk about it with anyone, least of all Alfred. Instead, Arthur focuses on this mysterious person, on his motives, in an attempt to forget his inner conflict.

“Sorry, but I like to know the name of my dance partner’s if I can help it.”

The stranger softly chuckles, “Do forgive me. My name is Kiku.”

“Kiku? I didn’t know we had some of our kind in Japan.”

“Intuitive, aren’t you?”

On the dance floor, Kiku turns around and takes Arthur’s hand, and puts one of his own around his waist. He’s leading, Arthur noticed, and the idea simultaneously thrills and scares him. Kiku’s movements were smooth and fluid, his words effortless and a mystery. How typical of a fox, Arthur noted and wondered if he should call him out now or keep the charade going.

He liked it however. The waltz was smoothly conducted, and Kiku’s smile was between mocking and kind. Arthur decided to indulge himself.

“You’ve heard of me.” Arthur guessed, watching him as they danced.

“You’re all the vampire clan is talking about these days. The rivalry between you two was the talk for centuries.” Kiku tilted his head, “Everyone is surprised to see the end to it.”

“…So that’s all you’ve heard of me.”

“No. I can also tell you’re in mourning.”

Arthur feels vulnerable then. It unnerved him how well he had been read, and how it was put. He had found the word to explain how he felt, but he tried to appear unaffected, disconnected, unruffled.

“Please.” he scoffs, “Why would I be in mourning? It’s as you said, he had been my rival for a long time.”

“Yes, but the guilt still ways you down. I can see it.” Kiku leans in, “The only people who wouldn’t see it would be people who don’t understand.”

“You do?”

Kiku smiles another condescending smile. “We all carry guilt, Arthur-san. But only the most kind feel its weight.”

Arthur blushed. He felt hypnotized by his words, unbearably charmed. Like he had finally been found, and there was relief. No, no, Arthur told himself. Don’t get carried away. You’re just feeling vulnerable right now, and this didn’t mean anything. Yes, he reasoned, he was being entirely too emotional.

“So you’re calling yourself kind?” Arthur smirked instead.

“I did ask you to dance.”

Despite himself, Arthur can’t help but laugh. “You’re charming, aren’t you?” Arthur teased, “I’d almost believe you’re flirting with me.”

And surprisingly enough, the fox blushed. Arthur was expecting another cheeky reply, but Kiku instead looks to their feet shyly.

“My apologies.” Kiku smiles sheepishly, “I may be stepping on some toes.”

“Oh no, you’re a fine dancer.”

Kiku laughs. It’s genuine and quick, and Arthur almost forgets where he is and what has happened. He wants to keep talking and dancing with this person, fox or not. It didn’t matter anymore, so long as Arthur could keep up this light-hearted banter, so long as they could keep dancing.

The song ends however, and Arthur freezes up as Kiku leans up and whispers into his ear.

“Can we continue this in the garden?” He asks, voice husky and Arthur nods despite himself. He was supposed to be watching himself, he was supposed to be more aware. But Arthur was swept away, and for now he didn’t regret it.

As Kiku holds his hand and leads him there, Arthur is smiling, butterflies in his stomach. The moonlight illuminates the rose garden, a crescent moon hanging amongst stars above them. The rose bushes are full and in bloom, and Arthur wants to take off Kiku’s mask, he wants to see his face. He wants to spend the entire evening with this person because not only was he trying to run away from reality, but also because he was wholly entranced with this person.

If, for a moment, he could forget, he wanted to with him.

“I wanted to be with you alone.” Kiku explains, his back turned to Arthur, “Please forgive my forwardness.”

“N-No, it’s fine-”

“You’re a very interesting person, Arthur-san. I’ve heard so much about you in my travels here. Meeting you…meeting you is not what I expected.”

Arthur blushes. He should be cautious, he knows that. But he’s tired of being paranoid and on guard. How funny, Arthur thought to himself. Wasn’t it always the vampires that did the seducing; that refused to be seduced themselves?

“I’m sorry.” Kiku suddenly says, “I’m very sorry.”

“What’re you talking about?”

There is a moment of silence, and Arthur feels the atmosphere shift. The rose garden is the same, and the music still plays softly in the mansion. There is the distant sounds of talking and laughter, far off, and yet something felt different. Something felt…stronger.

“Did you know.” Kiku begins, “in the south of France, by the sea, there lies an abandoned mansion?”

He feels a chill go up his spine. Arthur doesn’t say anything. He knows exactly what he’s talking about.

“I came across it in my travels. I met a ghost there. He made me a very interesting offer.”

 _No._  Arthur feels the world fall around him, and time seems to stop. His heart hurts. Ah, no, it seemed he never could escape this guilt he carried after all.

“….You’re a fox.” Arthur could only say in response. Kiku let go of his hand, and turned around. He did not meet Arthur’s eyes, but his glamour fell, and there before Arthur was the fox with his white ears and three tails. He took off his mask, and he was handsome, and gracefully hurt.

“You’re the only one who noticed. You really are as strong as he said.”

In a split second, Kiku summons his fox fire, and Arthur guards himself from the attack, his mask flying off. When the smoke clears, Kiku is now dressed in his traditional garb, his face stoic. Almost sorry. Arthur pretends not to notice, and the adrenaline pumps through his veins.

“What did he offer you?!”

“The soul of a powerful vampire is very valuable to my kind. He said if I killed you, I could have it.”

Arthur couldn’t believe it. Doing so would be sacrificing any hope of an end for Francis. There would be no passing on, there would only be eternal limbo. Ah, but that just proved how much he hated him, didn’t it? Arthur couldn’t say he didn’t expect it.

Kiku continues his relentless attack. And Arthur dodges each one. He must very young or very desperate to challenge a vampire in the midst of his kind. Then again, perhaps he had put up an illusion to avoid any detection? Fox’s were masters of illusions, Arthur wouldn’t be surprised. Arthur knew he could take him on anyway, but he hesitated. He only kept running, his movements hard to watch, too quick for the human eye. Kiku grew frustrated however.

“Don’t be a coward! Fight back!”

“You don’t have to do this!”

Arthur finally shows himself, catching his breath, glaring at Kiku head on.

“I’m telling you now, you won’t survive this.” He warns, taking off his suit jacket and throwing it to the side, “You can’t fight me.”

Kiku smirks in response to this. “Try me.”

The part of Arthur that is basic primal survival tenses in anger. He silences the grieving human part of him and braces himself as the energy courses through his veins, his nails lengthen and in a burst of power, he releases his bat wings. His fangs stick against his mouth, and he is the powerful vampire that he’s always meant to be all over again. Kiku seems to tense in excitement. They were never human. Despite everything, they had never been human in the first place.

They leap and the fight begins. Arthur’s slashes are quick and sure, and Kiku feels himself get hit. But his fox fire is easily controlled, and Arthur is hit. He hisses in pain, but keeps going. He is a relentless force that is hunting. No matter how much Kiku blocks, he pursues. No matter how many times he’s hit, he keeps going. Kiku feels himself being overpowered.

But where Arthur is raw power, Kiku is stubborn determination. He doesn’t show fear. He keeps up, despite the power imbalance. Arthur has to give him credit for this, and despite himself, there’s still a part of him that’s intrigued.

Suddenly, Kiku disappears before him, and Arthur harshly lands. He looks for the fox amidst the rose bushes, heart still pounding, his need for blood stronger than it was ever before. He grows impatient. He’s angry.

“During the dance!” he yells, “Was that all a lie?!”

“It was not.”

He looks behind him. There’s nothing, no flash of white. Nothing.

“I’ll admit.” Kiku’s husky voice continues. “I hesitated. I was expecting to fight a heartless monster.”

Arthur pants, still hyper alert, still focused on his words. He wanted to block them out, because he hated how attached he still was to them. He wanted to ignore them because he didn’t want to care. But Arthur still listens.

“You killed Francis-san because he loved you.”

And there it was. The final verdict. Arthur begins to shake, and he’s not sure if it’s with anger or crushing sadness.

“I had no choice!” he begins to tear up, “He knows what world we live in! He knows I…we couldn’t trust anyone!”

Arthur wasn’t even talking to Kiku anymore at this point. He was trying to explain himself to anyone who would listen. Because it was true; he felt guilt. Francis had invited him over to his mansion and Arthur had gone. He had taken Arthur’s hand, he had kissed it. He smiled as he confessed. He proposed they joined forces, but he said that would just be a formality. In the end, all he really wanted was to be with him. And at that moment, Arthur lost it.

It just wasn’t fair. He had clawed and fought his way to the top. He couldn’t trust the idea that his most hated rival wanted him. It was too much. It was too kind. Arthur couldn’t trust kindness. But how could he take pride in such a kill? How could he say with confidence his weakness had led to Francis’ death? He doesn’t know if he would’ve accepted. He just knows he’s sorry for lashing out.

“And that’s why I hesitated.” Kiku’s voice cuts into his thoughts. “Because you seem generally sorry.”

Arthur blinks away the tears. He should be on guard. But how does this person always make him feel so fragile?

“But you won’t stop.”

“I’m sorry. But I need that soul.”

Arthur finally senses him. He wheels around, and Kiku’s illusion drops as Arthur grabs his wrist. He was aiming for his back, and Kiku’s eyes widened, taken off guard. Arthur tightens his grip, and he smiles bitterly.

“I won’t die that easily.”

Kiku’s arm shakes, and he struggles to get out. But Arthur jerks him closer, his power finally overcomes him. And Kiku is glaring, he’s scared.

Arthur could finish him off here. He knows that. But for once, someone had been able to read him so clearly, and he places faith in Kiku’s hesitation. He didn’t hate him. The words he said, he meant them. Arthur knew something was at stake here, and he knew they were at a standstill.

Arthur is selfish. He’ll admit it. And that’s why he doesn’t kill Kiku in that moment. Instead, he draws him toward him, and pulls down the edge of his kimono. The fox struggles, but Arthur bites, and he throws his head back, letting out a passionate moan.

His neck is soft. Warm, thick blood slides down Arthur’s throat. The muscles constrict as Arthur drinks, and Kiku stops struggling. He grips onto Arthur’s back. He lets him drink, and he hates how he does.

Fox blood really is as strong as they say.

Then, he’s pushed away, and Kiku’s gone. Arthur whips around and sees Kiku on the branch of a tree, holding his kimono close, his neck still bleeding. He’s flushed and panting and angry.

“That’s low.” He accused him. Confidence swells in Arthur as the power courses his veins. He smirks.

“You’re free to continue our fight if you’d like.” Arthur dares him, but they both know their outcomes now. Kiku’s too weak, Arthur is even stronger now. It would end in a second. Kiku sneers at him, insulted.

“I’m not giving up! I’m still coming after you.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Kiku’s heart jumps. There was no hatred or cockiness in Arthur’s voice then. His face drops into a sincere look of longing. Just as before, the vampire takes him off guard. He’s more fragile then he’d thought.

Kiku’s intrigued. He’s torn. He’s indignant, and he tries to portray this as well as he can.

“I am too.”

The moon shines on them. They keep each other’s gazes. Kiku breaks it, and in a burst of fox fire, he’s gone. The air feels different, weaker, and Arthur knows he’s gone now.

But he’d be back.

Arthur pants, catching his breath. He begins to laugh. He should be scared, but right now, presented before him is a chase. He was hunted, yes, but he also wanted to be. He wanted Kiku. He wanted him so much. He wanted to be judged, but he also wanted to live. He had never felt so alive, not since he had lost himself that time before.

How ironic, Arthur thought. His killer would be the one to bring excitement back to him. He couldn’t wait to see Kiku again.

He wanted to treasure him.


End file.
